Plant-pulling implement.



W. E. MILLER, PLANT PULLING IMPLEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 141113.16, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

ANDREW a mum c0" PHOW-HTHOGRAPKERB. WASHINGTON. mV 0 WILLIAM H. MILLER,OF BRIDGEVTATER, VIRGINIA.

PLANT-PULLIN G IMPLEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909. Serial No. 483,806.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MILLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Bridgewater, .in the county of Rockingham and Stateof Virginia, have in: vented certain new and useful Improvements inPlant-Pulling Implements, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harrows and diggers and particularly to a weedpuller and cotton thinner of the tongs type.

An object of this invention is to provide a weed puller and cottonthinner having jaws and novel means for operating one of the jaws withrelation to a stationary jaw, means being provided whereby the clampingaction of the jaws is increased in proportion to the pull exerted on theplant.

A further object of this invention is to provide novel means forincreasing the leverage exerted on the movable jaw and for controllingthe link connecting the operating rod with the inner end of the movablejaw.

A still further object of this invention is to provide novel means forpermitting the adjustment of a handle by which the device is carried andfor adjusting the operating rod with relation to the link in order thatthe device may be used by a tall or short person with equal facility,that is to say the adjustment can be effected without changing therelation of the outer end of the operating rod with relation to thehandle.

A still further object of this invention Is.

to produce an implement of the character noted and in connectiontherewith novel means for removing the earth which may accumulatebetween the jaws, the said device having an extension leading to a pointnear the handle utilized for carrying the implement.

with the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe details of construction and in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein likecharacters denote corresponding parts in the several views, in whichFigure 1, illustrates a view 1n elevatlon of a weed puller and cottonthinner embodying the invention; Fig. 2, lllustrates a detail viewshowing the jaws and jaw operating that the said handle may be securedat the different positions of adjustment heretofore indicated and thesaid bar terminates in a curved jaw 7, which is designed to coact withthe movable jaw 8, which jaw is mounted on the pivot 9, preferablythreaded in an aperture 10, of the stationary jaw. The end of the pivotis provided with a nut 11, in order to prevent movement of the pivot.The jaw has an extension 12, extending inwardly beyond the pivot andsaid extension 1s apertured to receive a pivot 13, to which a link 14,is connected and the opposite end of said link is apertured to receive apivot 15, to which the operating bar 16, is connected. The operating baris provided with a series of apertures 17 in order that the pivot may beapplied to either of said apertures for the purpose of adjusting the barwith relation to the link and in order that the inner end of the bar maybe in operative relation to the handle heretofore described.

As shown in dotted lines, the handle may be double, that is to say onehandle may project from one side of the bar 4, and the other handle mayproject in a diametrically opposite direction therefrom and this may beconvenient where both hands of the operator are required formanipulating the puller. The inner end of the operating bar is providedwith a plate 18, which has its ends bent to embrace the edge of thehandle bar so that said plate is slidable on the handleii bar and actsas a guide for the operating ro Intermediate the ends of the link, anaperture is formed designed to receive a pin 20, carried by the pivotedarm 21, which arm is pivoted on a stud 22, applied to the handle bar.Instead of a stud being used as indicated, a bolt, screw, or othermember may be utilized as a support for the arm.

It will be observed by reference to the drawings that as the operatingbar is moved approximately longitudinally with a thrust like action,motion is communicated to the link and the link in turn communicatesmotion to the arm and the arm is oscillated. As the arm moves to assumea position more nearly parallel with the handle bar, the extension ofthe movable jaw is forced away from the stationary jaw, whereas when theoperating rod is moved in an opposite direction, the arm assumes aposition nearly at right angles to the length of the handle bar in whichposition the inner end of the movable jaw is drawn more nearly parallelwith the operating bar and the movable jaw is forced into engagementwith a plant, weed, or the like, thus binding the said plant, weed, orthe like, against the stationary jaw. By increasing the pull on theoperating rod, pressure of the movable aw is increased and disengagementof the jaws from the vegetation operated on will be prevented.

In order to dislodge dirt from the jaws, I find it desirable to employ athrust rod 23, which is slidable in the guides 24:. The inner end of thethrust rod is provided with a loop or other device for the hand of anoperator, and the outer end of said thrust rod is provided with a head25 designed to pass between the jaws and to dislodge earth which hasaccumulated therebetween.

The relation of the pivot of the arm, the pivot of the link and arms,and the other parts of the device, is such that the movable jaw is incontact with the stationary jaw prior to the time the pivot on the outerend of the arm is in line with the pivot on which the arm oscillates.

I claim- 1. In a plant pulling implement, a handle bar having a jaw, ajaw movable with relation thereto, the movable jaw having an eX tensionbeyond the pivot, a link pivotally connected to the extension, anoperating rod pivotally connected to the link, and an arm pivoted on thehandle bar and having its outer end pivotally connected to the link.

2. In a plant pulling implement, a handle bar having a jaw, a jawmovable with relation thereto, the movable jaw having an extensionbeyond the pivot, a link pivotally connected to the extension, anoperating rod pivotally connected to the link, an arm pivoted on thehandle bar and having its outer end pivotally connected to the link, ahandle on the handle bar, means for permitting the adjustment of theoperating rod on the link, and means for permitting movement of thehandle on the handle bar whereby the parts may be adjusted and the saidrod and handle are maintained in the same relative position to eachother.

3. In a plant pulling implement, a handle bar having a jaw, a jawmovable with relation thereto, the movable jaw having an extensionbeyond the pivot, a link pivotally connected to the extension, anoperating rod pivotally connected to the link, an arm pivoted on thehandle bar and having its outer end pivotally connected to the link, ahandle on the handle bar, means for permitting the adjustment of theoperating rod on the link, means for permitting movement of the handleon the handle bar whereby the parts may be adjusted and the said rod andhandle are maintained in the same relative position to each other, and athrust rod slidable with relation to the handle bar.

4. In a plant pulling implement, a handle bar having a jaw, a jawpivoted with relation thereto, said j aw having an extension, a linkpivoted to the extension, an operating rod pivoted to the link, an armswingingly mounted with relation to the handle bar, and means forconnecting the outer end of said arm to the link, the said arm acting tocontrol the link.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

\ WILLIAM H. MILLER.

Witnesses:

J AS. R. SI-IIPMAN, OTHO W. MILLER.

